Partners
Our Partners and Supporters
VOSIEDA works with companies, governments, nonprofits, and other organizations to address complex challenges in West Africa’s Mano River Basin. Our partners contribute more than money. Their ideas, volunteer power, in-kind support, and more are helping to build stronger communities.
Partnering With VOSIEDA
VOSIEDA is committed to working in partnership. We believe that we can better achieve our vision of ending extreme poverty in Liberia and the Mano River Basin region of West Africa through cooperation instead of competition. We also believe that if we pool our resources and expertise together, our collective actions will have a greater impact than what we can deliver alone.
In addition to our funding partners, we work with a variety of other actors, such as community-based organizations, advocacy allies, think tanks, universities, research and technical institutions, and service providers.
Project Partners
VOSIEDA works with grassroots organizations, cooperatives, small businesses, and local governments at the community level, as they best understand the issues at stake. We provide these stakeholders with support and enhance their skills and capacity so that their communities can unleash their full potential.
Advocacy Partners
Donors have prioritized building up the “supply-side” (schools, hospitals, etc.) in Liberia and West Africa’s Mano River Basin. Although these investments are necessary, they often come at the expense of creating demand for these services, which hinders effective usage. VOSIEDA has observed this issue and is collaborating with other organizations to conduct advocacy and media campaigns based on evidence. This partnership aims to change behavior and improve the lives of people in Liberia and surrounding areas. To keep up with VOSIEDA’s efforts, you can visit the “Liberia Open Development Platform” at https://www.opendevelopmentliberia.net/.
Research and Technical Partners
VOSIEDA collaborates with academic, think tanks, research, and technical institutions to capture and apply new ideas, knowledge, and practices to real-world settings, supporting environment and natural resources security, poverty reduction, and social justice achievement in Liberia and West Africa.
Service Providers/Suppliers
At VOSIEDA, we partner with service providers and suppliers to procure the necessary goods and services for our development programs. Our collaboration includes a wide range of suppliers, vendors, and contractors at the community level. We are committed to supporting local economic growth by empowering people, communities, and businesses to contribute to a fair and prosperous community, where everyone can thrive.
Some of our partners, including some past and present supporters
Collaboration is key to making a lasting impact in West Africa. We understand that addressing the development challenges of the region requires resources and expertise that no single organization can provide. That is why we are committed to partnering with international aid agencies, governments, the private sector, foundations, civil society organizations, other NGOs, and local communities. Our collaborations in the Mano River Basin have transformed lives, and we believe that by working together, we can create a better future for the region.
European Union (EU)
The European Union partners with VOSIEDA to promote governance and market reforms that combat illegal forest resource use and support underprivileged communities in Liberia. This collaboration aims to assist those who rely on forests by curbing unlawful logging and securing forest tenure, empowering communities to manage resources effectively and enhance their livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.
The World Bank (Liberia Office)
The World Bank has collaborated with VOSIEDA on various initiatives, mainly focusing on youth empowerment and revitalizing smallholder tree crops. These partnerships, facilitated through the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant agencies, have resulted in numerous improvements in income opportunities for smallholder farmers while promoting youth empowerment.
Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)
VOSIEDA has collaborated with the ECOWAS Commission since 2017 to enhance social stability in Liberia and the broader West African subregion. For example, during the contested presidential and parliamentary elections of 2016/2017, VOSIEDA collaborated with ECOWAS to facilitate a peaceful transition of political power in Liberia. Our partnership is focused on bolstering ECOWAS’s continuous initiatives to foster peace and security in West Africa through preventive diplomacy.
United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP)
VOSIEDA initiated its partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2008, concentrating on reintegrating ex-combatants into their communities after the conflict in Liberia. Since then, we have collaborated with UNDP across various initiatives to advance Liberia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our most recent projects with UNDP include Climate Resilient Agriculture and Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Liberia’s Coastal and Agroecological Zones and the Mano River Post-Ebola medical surveillance and livelihoods program.
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and VOSIEDA are working to combat modern slavery in Liberia, focusing on assisting victims, particularly women and children. Our initiatives include offering victims legal, material, and psychological support and addressing root causes like poverty and gender inequality. We also raise awareness campaigns and public education to empower vulnerable individuals to advocate for their rights. Funding comes from the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, and both organizations are dedicated to eradicating modern slavery in Liberia.
United Nations Democracy Funds (UNDEF)
From 2010 to 2012, the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) partnered with VOSIEDA to promote participation and inclusion in the Liberia project, which empowers civil society and educates marginalized groups about their civic rights. This collaboration contributed to the country’s second peaceful elections after the war in 2011. From 2021 to 2023, UNDEF further supported VOSIEDA in strengthening independent media and freedom of information in Liberia.
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) operates in Liberia and the Mano River Union region in collaboration with governmental entities and civil society organizations, such as VOSIEDA, to address various development challenges, particularly in contexts characterized by fragility. VOSIEDA is a prominent Liberian civil society organization that frequently collaborates with USAID-funded initiatives, including the Liberia Community Infrastructure Program (LCIP) in partnership with DAI, the Ebola Community Action Platform (ECAP), and the Economic Recovery from Ebola for Liberia (EREL) in conjunction with Mercy Corps. For further information regarding our projects in partnership with USAID, please follow the link below.
World Food Programme (WFP)
Since 2017, the World Food Programme (WFP) has collaborated with VOSIEDA to implement social safety net projects and provide agricultural training to small-scale farmers in Liberia. These initiatives improve livelihoods and enhance farmers’ crop yields, storage practices, association management, and relationships with local traders. As many impoverished families in West Africa depend on small-scale farming, this partnership is vital for improving their economic conditions. Farmers face challenges such as inadequate resources and limited access to funding, underscoring the collaboration’s significance. The partnership also includes the Community Grain Reserves (CGRs), which help vulnerable communities manage food stocks and enhance resilience against seasonal shocks.
Australian Agency For International Development (AusAID)
The Australian government’s aid program aims to reduce poverty and improve living standards through sustainable economic growth. VOSIEDA partnered with Australian Aid from 2011 to 2012 and received support from the Direct Aid Program (DAP) in 2015-2016, training 200 female-headed households in skills like horticulture and livestock farming. We also established a capacity-building center for small-scale farmers, benefiting Liberian farmers. Although the aid program now focuses on the Indo-Pacific region, our past partnership has been valuable.
UN Women
UN Women, part of the United Nations, promotes gender equality and empowers women, particularly in the Mano River Basin of West Africa. In 2012-2013, we partnered with VOSIEDA to economically empower 250 rural women in Rivercess and Grand Bassa Counties, providing training in cassava processing, small business management, women’s rights, and income generation.
Japan’s Grant Assistance For Grassroots Human Security (GGHSP)
The agricultural sector in Liberia continues to be underdeveloped despite its substantial contribution to the national economy. There exists an urgent necessity for enhanced engagement from the private sector. The Liberia Forest, Climate, and Farmers Resilience Center (LFCFRC), established in 2016 through a partnership between Japan and VOSIEDA, aims to enhance the competitiveness of value chains and revitalize the agricultural sector. The Center provides business development services and supports smallholder farmers and agribusinesses focused on forestry and climate initiatives while promoting innovative entrepreneurs to address challenges within various agri-value chains.
Tropenbos International (TBI)
Tropebos International, headquartered in the Netherlands, partnered with VOSIEDA in Liberia from 2017 to 2021 on the Green Livelihoods Alliance – Forested Landscapes for Equity initiative. Together, we aimed to enhance the capacity of non-state actors (NSAs) to improve the FLEGT-VPA and REDD+ processes in Western Africa, addressing challenges and increasing NSA participation in Ghana, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire. The partnership also recognizes local communities’ tenure rights and strengthens NSAs’ engagement with state actors and civil society organizations through evidence-based advocacy.
German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
The German Federal Government is committed to advancing global initiatives to mitigate climate change and conserve biodiversity. The International Climate Initiative (IKI) funding program supports substantial projects designed to address climate change, adapt to its effects, and protect forests and biodiversity internationally. Through its Small Grants program, IKI provides financial assistance to VOSIEDA to improve access to energy-efficient cookstoves and innovative charcoal production technologies for rural households. This initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, decrease deforestation, and enhance health and living standards in Bong County, Central Liberia.
Since 2022, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has implemented IKI in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA). These ministries collectively support strategies that effectively implement and ambitiously promote the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and adaptation goals established in the Paris Agreement.
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Sweden’s government agency for development cooperation, Sida, aims to reduce global poverty and oppression by investing in sustainable development in collaboration with various organizations and sectors. Sida is funding VOSIEDA through the Swedish Embassy in Monrovia to implement climate-smart agriculture, achieving increased productivity, enhanced resilience, and reduced emissions. The program bolsters rural communities’ resilience to climate change by promoting sustainable small-scale agricultural practices that lower greenhouse gas emissions..
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
VOSIEDA, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in partnership with Welthungerhilfe (WHH), aims to enhance food and nutrition security for vulnerable rural households in Liberia. The initiative targets smallholder farmers and lactating mothers to diversify diets and improve nutrition. Utilizing the LANN+ approach based on the UNICEF model, the project addresses food insecurity through three levels:
- Immediate causes (individual nutrition and health)
- Underlying causes (household and community factors)
- Root causes (broader social, economic, and political structures)
The project aims to achieve four outcomes:
- Increase crop production for smallholder farmers, reducing post-harvest losses.
- Enhance nutrition and hygiene knowledge for mothers.
- Improve income generation and access to loans for smallholder farmers.
- Strengthen VOSIEDA’s operational capacity for sustainable project execution.
Liberia Agency For Community Empowerment (LACE)
The Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), established under the Community Empowerment Act in 2004, seeks to enhance social services in economically disadvantaged communities by promoting collaboration rather than engaging in direct service delivery. This strategy has demonstrated effectiveness in poverty alleviation, supported by contributions from various donors, including the World Bank and the European Union. A significant partnership with the Volunteer Service Organization for Integrated Development Activities (VOSIEDA) in Bong County has substantially improved the technical and operational capabilities of community-based organizations throughout the region. Additionally, VOSIEDA has collaborated with LACE to implement diverse projects.